They had this rare Flying Dog beer (released in September) on tap at Founding Farmers in Potomac, MD. A very interesting beer to say the least, from look to mouthfeel. Served in a tulip glass on draft.

Appearance (4/5): The beer is a milk chocolate brown color and topped with two fingers-worth of off-white/light tan head. The beer is cloudy, making it one of the most truly brown beers I've ever seen. Certainly an odd shade, hinting at the oddness to come.

Smell (3.5/5): Very bready, Roggen has a some rye spice and dark wheat bread notes to it. Not very strong aroma, though, and not much sweetness at all. I would say that the smell lack some balance, but pulls off the earthy angle well enough.

Taste (3.75/5): Wow. Spicy and earthy, I'm immediately hit with the signature flavors of rye and darker malt flavors. Some dark chocolate and a little clove and banana (could be due to the hefeweizen yeast used) show up, too. Little to no sweetness to the beer, this is all rye all the time, which is good if you like rye–which I definitely do. A bit one-noted, but the flavor is really good.

Mouthfeel (3.75/5): Medium carbonation and body. The spicy kick this beer packs surprisingly does not limit the drinkability of this one too much.

Overall (3.75/5): Flying Dog Roggen is a spicy beer that I think pairs really well with food. While a bit one-noted, it is a flavorful, bold beer that seems, at least to me, to punch above its weight in terms of flavor to ABV ratio. I enjoyed it well enough, though two in a row–because of the rye centric flavor–might be a little too difficult to pull off.

10/23/13 On tap at Rattle n Hum, NYC. Just right spices here. It's not quite winter but the warmth in the flavors hit the spot. Hints of caramel, coffee & vanilla combined with the maltiness are spot on. When the temperature starts to slip into the 50's, here is a welcome comfort.